1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a thin film magnetic memory device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a random access memory (RAM) including memory cells having a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ).
2. Description of the Background Art
An MRAM (Magnetic Random Access Memory) device has attracted attention as a memory device capable of non-volatile data storage with low power consumption. The MRAM device is a memory device capable of non-volatile data storage using a plurality of thin film magnetic elements formed in a semiconductor integrated circuit and also capable of random access to each thin film magnetic element.
In particular, recent announcement shows that the performance of the MRAM device is significantly improved by using thin film magnetic elements having a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) as memory cells. The MRAM device including memory cells having a magnetic tunnel junction is disclosed in technical documents such as “A 10 ns Read and Write Non-Volatile Memory Array Using a Magnetic Tunnel Junction and FET Switch in each Cell”, ISSCC Digest of Technical Papers, TA7.2, February 2000, and “Nonvolatile RAM based on Magnetic Tunnel Junction Elements”, ISSCC Digest of Technical Papers, TA7.3, February 2000.
FIG. 66 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a memory cell having a magnetic tunnel junction (hereinafter, also simply referred to as “MTJ memory cell”).
Referring to FIG. 66, the MTJ memory cell includes a tunnel magnetic resistive element TMR having its electric resistance value varying according to the storage data level, and an access transistor ATR. The access transistor ATR is formed from a field effect transistor, and is coupled between the tunnel magnetic resistive element TMR and ground voltage Vss.
For the MTJ memory cell are provided a write word line WWL for instructing data write operation, a read word line RWL for instructing data read operation, and a bit line BL serving as a data line for transmitting an electric signal corresponding to the storage data level in the data read and write operations.
FIG. 67 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the data read operation from the MTJ memory cell.
Referring to FIG. 67, the tunnel magnetic resistive element TMR has a magnetic layer FL having a fixed magnetic field of a fixed direction (hereinafter, also simply referred to as “fixed magnetic layer FL”), and a magnetic layer VL having a free magnetic field (hereinafter, also simply referred to as “free magnetic layer VL”). A tunnel barrier TB formed from an insulator film is provided between the fixed magnetic layer FL and free magnetic layer VL. According to the storage data level, either a magnetic field of the same direction as that of the fixed magnetic layer FL or a magnetic field of the direction different from that of the fixed magnetic layer FL has been written to the free magnetic layer VL in a non-volatile manner.
In the data read operation, the access transistor ATR is turned ON in response to activation of the read word line RWL. As a result, a sense current Is flows through a current path formed from the bit line BL, tunnel magnetic resistive element TMR, access transistor ATR and ground voltage Vss. The sense current Is is supplied as a constant current from a not-shown control circuit.
The electric resistance value of the tunnel magnetic resistive element TMR varies according to the relative relation of the magnetic field direction between the fixed magnetic layer FL and free magnetic layer VL. More specifically, when the fixed magnetic layer FL and free magnetic layer VL have the same magnetic field direction, the tunnel magnetic resistive element TMR has a smaller electric resistance value as compared to the case where both magnetic layers have different magnetic field directions. The electric resistance values of the tunnel magnetic resistive element corresponding to the storage data “1” and “0” are herein represented by Rh and Rl, respectively (where Rh>Rl).
Thus, the electric resistance value of the tunnel magnetic resistive element TMR varies according to an externally applied magnetic field. Accordingly, data storage can be conducted based on the variation characteristics of the electric resistance value of the tunnel magnetic resistive element TMR.
A voltage change produced at the tunnel magnetic resistive element TMR by the sense current Is varies depending on the magnetic field direction stored in the free magnetic layer VL. Therefore, by starting supply of the sense current Is with the bit line BL precharged to a high voltage, the storage data level in the MTJ memory cell can be read by monitoring a change in voltage level on the bit line BL.
FIG. 68 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the data write operation to the MTJ memory cell.
Referring to FIG. 68, in the data write operation, the read word line RWL is inactivated, so that the access transistor ATR is turned OFF. In this state, a data write current for writing a magnetic field to the free magnetic layer VL is applied to the write word line WWL and bit line BL. The magnetic field direction of the free magnetic layer VL is determined by combination of the respective directions of the data write currents flowing through the write word line WWL and bit line BL.
FIG. 69 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the relation between the direction of the data write current and the direction of the magnetic field in the data write operation.
Referring to FIG. 69, a magnetic field Hx of the abscissa indicates the direction of a magnetic field H(BL) produced by the data write current flowing through the bit line BL. A magnetic field Hy of the ordinate indicates the direction of a magnetic field H(WWL) produced by the data write current flowing through the write word line WWL.
The magnetic field direction stored in the free magnetic layer VL is updated only when the sum of the magnetic fields H(BL) and H(WWL) reaches the region outside the asteroid characteristic line shown in the figure. In other words, the magnetic field direction stored in the free magnetic layer VL is not updated when a magnetic field corresponding to the region inside the asteroid characteristic line is applied.
Accordingly, in order to update the storage data of the tunnel magnetic resistive element TMR by the data write operation, a current must be applied to both the write word line WWL and bit line BL. Once the magnetic field direction, i.e., the storage data, is stored in the tunnel magnetic resistive element TMR, it is retained therein in a non-volatile manner until another data write operation is conducted.
The sense current Is flows through the bit line BL in the data read operation. However, the sense current Is is generally set to a value that is about one to two orders smaller than the data write current. Therefore, it is less likely that the storage data in the MTJ memory cell is erroneously rewritten by the sense current Is during the data read operation.
The magnetization characteristics of the magnetic layers of each MTJ memory cell significantly affect the memory cell characteristics. In particular, when a change in magnetization direction for data storage becomes less likely to occur in the tunnel magnetic resistive element TMR due to end effects of the magnetic element or the like, the magnetic field required for the data write operation is increased, causing increase in power consumption and magnetic noise due to the increased data write current. Moreover, a variation in electric resistance value depending on the storage data level is reduced, causing reduction in signal margin in the data read operation.
In the MRAM device using the tunnel magnetic resistive element, reduction in memory cell size is difficult for the structural reason. In particular, it is difficult to realize the folded-bit-line structure that is effective in improving a signal margin in the data read operation and is generally applied to a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) or the like.
Moreover, in the folded-bit-line structure, complementary bit lines forming a bit line pair are respectively coupled to a memory cell to be read and a read reference voltage. By amplifying the voltage difference between the complementary bit lines, the data read operation is conducted with a large signal margin. Accordingly, the read reference voltage must be set in view of the electric resistance values Rh and Rl of the tunnel magnetic resistive element. However, it is difficult to accurately set the read reference voltage while allowing manufacturing variation.